June 27th is National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) was first observed on June 27, 1995. This is a day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment. The theme for 2023, “Take the Test & Take the Next Step” emphasizes that knowing your HIV status helps you choose options to stay healthy. HIV testing, including self-testing, is the pathway to engaging people in care to keep them healthy, regardless of their test result. People who receive a negative test result can take advantage of HIV prevention tools such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, and other sexual health services such as vaccines and testing for sexually transmitted infections. People who receive a positive test result can rapidly start HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy, or ART) to stay healthy. In the video above, Kayla Quimbley from Advocates for Youth and a PACHA member interviews Harold Phillips, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, and Dr. Jonathan Mermin, Director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention at CDC.

News from the CFAR

Drs. Chris Beyrer and Nwora Lance Okeke named Associate Directors of the Duke Center for AIDS Research

The Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is pleased to announce the appointments of Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH and Nwora Lance Okeke, MD, MPH as Associate Directors of the CFAR starting July 1, 2023. Drs. Beyrer and Okeke will join Director Georgia D. Tomaras, PhD and Co-Director Susanna Naggie, MD, MHS in leadership of the Duke CFAR. The addition of Drs. Beyrer and Okeke as Associate Directors will strengthen the continued evolution of the Duke CFAR with a focus for development in data and implementation science, global HIV research, and collaborations with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Dr. Chris Beyrer is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University and the Director of the Duke Global Health Institute. He is a recognized leader in conducting HIV research with key populations in challenging environments and has led collaborative research on HIV prevention and treatment in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia for more than 30 years. He is past president of the International AIDS Society, and has served as advisor to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the National Institutes of Health’s Office of AIDS Research, the World Health Organization, and numerous other agencies and institutions. Before coming to Duke in August 2022, Beyrer was the inaugural Desmond M. Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is no stranger to the CFAR network, having served as Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research. Dr. Beyrer will serve as an CFAR Associate Director, Global HIV. 

Dr. Lance Okeke is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Duke University School of Medicine. His research has focused on the intersection of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and HIV, including the training of nurses and HIV clinical social workers to promote heart-healthy lifestyle modifications and reduce CVD events. His currently funded projects include an R01 to explore the use of electronic health record data to inform strategies for PrEP uptake and an administrative supplement awarded to the Duke CFAR as part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pipeline Initiative (CDEIPI), which introduces students from HBCUs and minority serving institutions into careers in HIV research with a particular focus on training in implementation science. Fittingly, in his new role as CFAR Associate Director, Data and Implementation Science, Dr. Okeke will be leading new developments in AI/Data Science and strengthening and expanding the Duke CFAR’s collaborations with HBCUs. Dr. Okeke has served in several roles within the Duke CFAR, including Associate Director of the Clinical Core and Director of the HIV Health Services Research Scientific Working Group. He was previously an Associate Director of the Developmental Core and a CFAR faculty recruit.

Drs. Tomaras and Naggie shared enthusiasm for the new appointments and future directions of the Duke CFAR: “We are excited about the addition of Drs. Okeke and Beyrer to the Duke CFAR leadership team. Their passion for improving the health of people with HIV and their complementary expertise in global health, partnerships with community and minority serving institutions, and data science will be critical to direct our priorities.”

Read this article on the CFAR website.

Submit Your Nominations for the 2023 Outstanding Leadership in Scientific Mentoring Award!

In partnership with the Duke School of Medicine and the Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), the long-standing NIH T32 Duke Interdisciplinary Research Training Program in HIV/AIDS (IRTPA) has recognized the outstanding and important leadership role of early career investigators in: generating a scientifically rigorous and inclusive environment to mentor early career scientists and colleagues & supporting the innovation of their own research to advance scientific knowledge to improve human health.

If you would like to nominate an early career investigator for the 2023 Outstanding Leadership in Scientific Mentoring Award, please fill out the nomination form by the deadline of July 31, 2023

Submit a nomination.

CFAR-wide Special Seminar: "Dispatches from the AIDS Pandemic" - A Virtual Book Tour

Wednesday, June 28, 2023 | 12-1pm EDT | Zoom

Please join the Emory Center for AIDS Research on Wednesday, June 28^th from 12:00-1:00 PM ET for a CFAR-Wide Special Seminar: A Virtual Book Tour - Dispatches from the AIDS Pandemic: A Public Health Story. Hear from the authors Kevin De Cock, MD, Harold Jaffe, MD, and James Curran, MD, MPH. The book provides a unique firsthand account from these stalwart leaders of CDC's early response to the AIDS Pandemic. Drawing in part on interviews from the CDC's AIDS oral history project, they trace the evolution of AIDS from newly recognized disease to pandemic. 

Register for the seminar.

Registration for the Gopen Writing Seminar Closes June 23

July 10 & 11, 2023 | 12:30-5:00pm EDT | Duke South Ampitheater

Limited spaces remain for the Gopen Writing Seminar to be held on July 10 and 11 12:30pm-5:00pm. This is an in-person seminar open to faculty, postdocs, and fellows to learn to apply and practice new principles and techniques of writing. Registration closes at noon on June 23.

Additional information and the registration form is available on the Duke Office of Research Initiatives website. Contact researchinitiatives@duke.edu with any questions.

Register for the seminar.

HANC Webinar - Diversity and Inclusion in HIV & AIDS Clinical Research: The Role of Language Justice (Pt 1)



Wednesday, July 12, 2023 |2-3pm EDT | Zoom

The enrollment of Hispanic and Latinx people in HIV clinical research is low; however, these populations account for the nearly 30% of HIV incidence in the US (CDC, 2023). The limited provision of Spanish language services in the context of HIV research may contribute to the low enrollment of Hispanic and Latinx individuals with limited English proficiency. Organized by the Latinx Caucus of the Legacy Project, this webinar will contribute to understanding how language can be a key tool to help facilitate the inclusion of more diverse participants in the conduct of HIV research.

This webinar will be very relevant to investigators, study coordinators, program officers and managers, protocol specialists, community educators and recruiters, other clinical research staff and the general public. 

Register for the webinar. 

Virtual Workshop: Write Winning NIH Grant Proposals



July 26 & 27, 2023 | 8:30am-12:30pm EDT | Zoom

From the Duke Office of Research Initiatives:

A virtual seminar from Grant Writers' Seminars and Workshops focusing on writing successful NIH grant proposals.  

• Dates and times: July 26 and 27 8:30am-12:30pm (must attend both sessions) 
• Location: Virtual (Zoom) 
• Eligibility: All Duke research personnel involved in writing proposals for funding are invited to attend, though the sessions are geared towards faculty who are writing or planning to write NIH grant applications. 
• Registration fees: Duke is covering the registration fees for this seminar; however, all registrants are required to purchase the January 2023 version of The Grant Application Writer's Workbook to attend. Proof of purchase will be needed for your registration. 
• The workbook costs $90 + tax and shipping; (however, you can use promo code YY0B56TJ7 for a $15 discount) 
• Discuss with your business manager or supervisor if the workbook may be purchased using discretionary or other institutional funds 
• If you prefer to purchase the NSF version of The Grant Application Writer's Workbook instead of the NIH version, that is allowed. Please note the seminar will be NIH-focused, though. 
• Use this link to register (registration closes July 14)

Learn more and register.

Registration open for the 40th Annual Symposium on Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS



October 10-13, 2023 | University of California Davis

The 40th Annual Symposium on Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS will take place on October 10 -13, 2023, at the University of California Davis. This scientific forum is a unique, world class opportunity to exchange the latest scientific perspectives, research findings, and emerging technologies for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

The nonhuman primate model is integral to studies that make breakthrough discoveries of causes, preventions, treatments and cures possible. With 38 million people currently estimated to be living with HIV worldwide, it is imperative to develop better treatments and interventions to prevent and/or cure HIV infection. Join us and add to the shared vision and collaborative work to end HIV/AIDS.

This symposium is designed to be an in-person event. For those who cannot attend in person, a hybrid format with virtual attendance to the keynote presentation and scientific sessions is available. Registration, Abstract Submission, and Early Scientist Investigator (ESI)Travel Award Applications are now open!

Learn more about the conference.

Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology - Collaborative Development Awards Opportunity due June 30th

The Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology (DCHSB) invites proposals for an HIV research funding opportunity (Collaborative Development Awards - CDA). Early-career HIV investigators and investigators new to HIV research from under-represented racial and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply.

The program is intended to broadly support HIV-related structural studies (including structural biology, molecular biophysics, structural bioinformatics, and others) aligned with the goals of the Center.

Applications must be submitted electronically no later than June 30, 2023, 5 p.m. EST

The award covers one year of funding up to $175,000 in total costs. Applications will be peer-reviewed by a panel convened by the Center’s investigators. Proposals will be evaluated on scientific merit, rigor, quality of project, and impact on HIV structural science. Our intent is to complete reviews and start funding by October 1, 2023.

For project-related questions, please contact Whitney Beck, Scientific Program Leader.

Learn more and apply.

Duke QualCore Hiring Postdoctoral Associate in Qualitative Research

The Department of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) at Duke University is seeking qualified applicants for a Postdoctoral Associate in Qualitative Research with DPHS’s QualCore. This position provides an opportunity for the candidate to gain hands-on experience in serving as a qualitative research methodologist within an established methods group in the Duke University’s School of Medicine.

QualCore includes Duke faculty, doctorate and masters-level interviewers and analysts, research assistants, and students, and we partner with Duke clinicians and faculty to conduct qualitative research as part of their behavioral, clinical, implementation science, and health services research.

The postdoctoral associate will serve as a qualitative methodologist and provide expert guidance to research partners on designing qualitative research (e.g., type of qualitative research and methods, sample size and sampling, question guide development, type of analysis) and serve as a project leader on the implementation, analysis, and write up of qualitative studies.

Interested candidates can contact Kevin McKenna, QualCore Operations Director, at kevin.mckenna@duke.edu for more information. 

Learn more about the position.

Faculty Position in HIV Prevention and Sexual Health at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

The Department of Population Medicine (DPM) at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute seeks an early-career faculty member to expand its portfolio of research on HIV prevention and sexual health, with a proposed appointment as Instructor or Assistant Professor of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School commensurate with qualifications. 

Learn more about the position.

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